Hello NE,

Yesterday we had an all-day snowfall of 6 to 8 inches (winter in Wisconsin). I didn't see any sense in firing up the snow blower and grabbing the shovel any sooner than necessary, if it was supposed to snow all day, so I thought while waiting for it to stop why not take some pictures of another piece I have that has been bugging me with regard to whom the maker may have been and the date of manufacture. I'm hoping some of you, who have more experience with these ID questions than I, can help me. As you'll see in the pictures it has the proof marks and chamber notations that most of us are used to seeing. Unfortunately the top rib is void of a maker's name. As to the year of manufacture I would normally assume that based on the 10/1 stamped on the underside of the barrels that the date would be October of 1901 but I was under the impression that the German makers didn't start stamping the dates on the barrels like this until much later. The gun looks like a later piece to me but who knows? The only form of possible ID that I can see is the initials "EF" that follow the serial number on the underside of the shotgun tube, forward of the forend lug, and on one side of the water-table. If you have any ideas please comment.

Thank you,

Marcus